By Ruby Tiwari and Ramdas Kanissery Cutleaf evening primrose (Oenothera laciniata) is an annual weed (or sometimes a biennial) commonly found throughout vegetable farms in Florida. This weed got its name due to the timing of its flower opening. It tends to close its flowers during the day but opens them during evening or nighttime. Cutleaf evening primrose is a …
Fresh Produce at Risk: Pallet Shortages Impacting Supply Chain
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 19, 2021) – Pallet shortages are a lingering concern that could impact the supply of fresh vegetables. According to the United Fresh Produce Association, there are various issues impacting pallet availability: Efforts of wholesalers, distributors and retailers to ensure sufficient inventory of non-perishables given previous pandemic-related impacts. The availability of lumber to repair and build new pallets. …
Hurricane Preparation and Recovery for Fruit and Vegetable Growers
By Pam Knox The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season is on the horizon, and now is the time to get ready for whatever storms may come your way. Even if you get missed this year, long-term preparation will help you get ready for any disaster that might occur on your farm, even if it is not weather-related. There are four steps …
FFVA Issues Statement Following Bi-Partisan Letter Sent to USTR
On Wednesday, a bipartisan letter was sent to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai calling for the United States Trade Representative to work with members of Congress to implement immediate trade relief measures for U.S. producers of seasonal and perishable fruits and vegetables. The letter was led by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart, Darren Soto, Austin Scott, Bill …
The Future of Precision Weed Control
By Yiannis Ampatzidis Farmers use mainly agrochemicals for weed control and follow conventional crop protection strategies that use a vast amount of chemicals, despite some negative impacts on the environment and human health. More than 90% of the acreage of crops in the United States is sprayed with herbicides. It is estimated that around $31.5 billion was spent on herbicides …
Chilly Impact: Cold Temperatures Impact Alabama Vegetable Crops
By Clint Thompson Last week’s brief cold snap is likely to have a lasting impact on Alabama’s vegetable crops. Joe Kemble, Alabama Extension vegetable specialist, expected farmers to start seeing cold damage this week, especially on warm-season vegetables like tomatoes and peppers. “I think there was enough hours below optimal temperatures for a lot of crops that you’re going to …
Shade Nets Show Benefits for Peppers
By Juan Carlos Díaz Pérez Vegetable growers know well about the importance of light to plants. Light is necessary for the process of photosynthesis through which plants convert light energy into chemical energy (sugars) needed for plant growth and development. LIGHT AND HEAT Light is electromagnetic radiation that comes from the sun. The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that can …
Beware: Fungal Foliar Diseases Alive and Well in Alabama
Weather conditions are conducive to certain plant diseases being a problem this year. Joe Kemble, Alabama Extension vegetable specialist, cautions Alabama producers about certain fungal diseases that could become problematic. “One of the things that’s important this time of the year is there are a lot of foliar fungal diseases. They cause problems in strawberries, but they also cause problems …
USDA Vegetable Outlook
Fresh vegetable production value in the United States was down 11% in 2020, according to the USDA Vegetable and Pulses April Outlook. Spinach experienced the biggest decline, dropping 28.7% a year after increasing 49.8%. Cauliflower dropped 25%. A year after increasing 22.8%, cabbage production dropped 18.2%. Bell peppers dropped 11.2%, while Carrots declined 7.1%. Dry onions also dropped 14.5%. Sweet …
Biological Control of Sweetpotato Whiteflies With Predatory Mites in Squash
By Lorena Lopez and Oscar E. Liburd The sweetpotato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) is one of the most problematic pests in vegetable production in the world and it is a key pest in squash. Most significant damage caused by this pest is due to the transmission of viral diseases and its ability to rapidly develop resistance to pesticides. Sweetpotato whiteflies can …